Iconic Queensland State of Origin shield photo says it all after win
The Maroons secured a famous series victory on Wednesday night as they toppled NSW 24-12 at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
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The victory came after the Blues took the points in Game 1 before an arm wrestle ensued in Game 2.
With the series up for grabs, it was one-way traffic as the Maroons dominated their south of the border rivals in the decider.
It was yet another case that Queensland just understand what it takes to get the job done on the Origin stage. In rubbing further salt into the wounds, an image of assistant coach Josh Hannay proved just how much it truly meant to them.
The instrumental figure in the coaching ranks was snapped in the early hours on Thursday morning laying in bed alongside the iconic Origin shield.
As Queensland players soaked up the victory, NSW players were left licking their wounds with legendary NSW coach Phil Gould sticking the boots in after the contest.
'In Origin, it's a three-game series and you anticipate you'd improve from game to game, and you want your peak to be in the third game — Queensland did that,' Gould said.
'They weren't that great in Game 1, they got better in game two and they were terrific in Game 3.
'NSW were probably the other way around — they were good in Game 1, not so good in Game 2 and terrible tonight.
'It was the perfect exhibition of Origin football. Origin is different to club football and it looked like an Origin side playing against a club side. It looked like a really connected group of blokes with that Origin spirit up against the team of individuals, I can't explain it any other way than that.'
Gould said it was Queensland's pressure and completion rate that was the difference, he pinpointed that NSW had no kick pressure and allowed the Maroons to 'back them up towards their own line'.
'It just looked like Queensland had a plan and NSW were disrupted by it became a rabble in attack and defence and couldn't recover,' Gould said.
'It was a consummate Origin performance. NSW extremely, extremely disappointing.'
Gould then teed off again, this time taking to social media to lament another series loss by the Blues.
'Queensland too good. The perfect Origin performance,' Gould wrote.
'Got better each game and peaked when it mattered in Game III.
'NSW got worse the further the series went. That's a concern. They will be very disappointed.
Nothing else to say, other than well done to the Maroons. They deserved the series win.'
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